***11/10/24 Author's note: Sorry for disappearing again, life has been tough. I kinda rushed this chapter a little more than I wanted so I apologize for the pacing and the choreography, but I'll come back later to smooth it out.***

I stepped backwards until my ass hit the edge of the bed. Desirae followed, fingers laced with Artemisia who now seemed more hesitant than me.

Had I called her bluff?

Desirae yanked her closer, placing her between us.

Out of the three of us, I didn't expect the levelheaded, work-before-play Desirae to be the one orchestrating this.

"Kiss her," she said to us both, but neither in particular.

Being sexual with Artemisia, sensual even, was one thing for me, but after everything we had been through, lip-locked intimacy was a whole other level that I wasn't ready to dive into.

And Artemisia knew that.

Her blue eyes shifted over mine, down to my lips. She rubbed hers, biting at the bottom. I hadn't seen her this cautious since the first time we met. Normally, she was the one to initiate, to push boundaries. But we both had changed so much over the last ten years. Maybe we were actually meeting again for the first time. She turned over her shoulder to whisper to Desirae. "Kissing for Kirby is too..."

Grabbing her jaw, I turned her face back towards me and sloppily pressed my lips to hers. It didn't have to be intimate. I could separate the two with her. My fingers slid to the back of her neck where her head rested in my palm in full submission. Another first for us both. Her lips parted, maybe with a delighted gasp or maybe just to catch her breath, but I hungrily stole it from her, kissing her even harder.

Sloppier.

Nastier.

To prove to her.

To prove to myself.

I quickly pulled back, dropping my hands to her waist. My fingertips dug into her hips, eager to continue. "Kissing is too what?"

Her head dipped, single dimple popped with a delicate smile. Over her shoulder, Desirae caught my fiery gaze. Red hot anticipation burned between all three of us. Artemisia rubbed her lips again, eyes finally finding mine. "Okay."

Reaching behind Desirae, I fumbled for the zipper of her dress. Artemisia helped me guide it down, watching my every move. Whether it was for her own pleasure or jealousy or even suspicion, I didn't know, and didn't care either. This was all just sex to me.

Stress relief.

Nothing more.

I couldn't let it be anything more with the two of them.

I dropped to my knees to peel Desirae's dress down over her hips. The shine of the sequins caught in the light, splashing fractals of gold over her deep bronze skin. My lips fell against her thigh, tracing up the center of her, wanting to taste her again. Directly, this time.

Desirae showed no sign of nerves like she had six months ago in Bay City. Her fingers tangled in my curls, urging me into her. With long slow strokes, my tongue slipped against her clit. Soft moans hummed from her lips. Her body trembled with each pass, hands tightening in my hair again. I lifted her leg over my shoulder for better access, only to find Artemisia on her knees as well, eating her out from behind.

My body throbbed watching her tongue dip inside Desirae, knowing the feel of it against my own skin and knowing the taste of them both. I really could have came just from watching them. And fuck, I knew I was probably going to regret this, maybe we all would, but in this moment, none of us cared.

Artemisia took a hold of my hand, sliding it underneath Desirae's thigh, pressing both our fingers inside her. The heel of her stiletto dragged against my back as another moan rocked her body. The warmth of her spread through every fiber of me and I knew I was just as wet as she was. Together, Artemisia and I began to slowly pump, turning her moans into just gasps of pleasure.

As Desirae began to pulse at the tips of our fingers, I slid out of her, pressing firm against her clit to edge her a bit while I stood back up. Artemisia followed my lead, taking her time to kiss Desirae's ass, the small of her back, up her spine, and to her neck. She seemed to savor every inch of her.

I had seen Artemisia with other women before; this was far from our first threesome together. But this felt different. The passion behind her eyes was something I had only ever seen for myself. The way she used to look at me. Seeing that fire burn for someone else, for someone I also cared greatly for, probably should have made me jealous. Instead, it ignited feelings for both of them that I kept trying to damper.

Because how could any of those feelings be reciprocated?

I stood back to watch as Desirae slid off Artemisia's tulle skirt and then slowly loosened the side laces of her corset. Their lips tugged at each other through kisses, gasps, and soft laughs. Love radiated off both of them. They were beautiful together.

I took another step back.

Beyond our room, a door in the hallway closed. I was sure it was Lucia's. I stole a glance over my shoulder to the adjoining door where a dim crack of light glowed beneath.

"Kirby?" Desirae drunk-snorted, tugging at the laces. "Come get her from the back."

"I can do it," Artemisia insisted, reaching behind herself.

I strode back over and clasped her fingers, guiding them back around to the front of her to make her hold onto Desirae's bare waist. My hands slid over her body, admiring her from behind as I spotted the last couple stubborn hooks. She used to love getting fucked in lingerie, especially corsets that were tight enough to restrict her breathing. I was tempted to leave her in it.

I moved her hair away from her neck. "Do you wanna keep it on for old time's sake?"

Her shoulders stiffened like she was holding her breath. Her hands darted back behind herself, fumbling again.

With just a pinch, I released the clasps and the corset fell to the floor.

Artemisia slowly turned around to face me, still cautious, eyes moving all over my body, everywhere but to my own eyes.

"Your dress," she whispered, "it's ripped."

"Collateral damage," I snickered.

Her lips pursed to a sexy pout as she reached up to my shoulder strap. "Lucia will not be happy."

"After tonight, I think I can handle Lu."

She didn't seem convinced, but hardly let it show. Her fingers slipped against my skin under the strap, but instead of sliding it off, her thumb gently circled around my wound for just a moment. I took a deep breath, enough to raise my chest and break her fixation. She continued taking my straps down.

Desirae slid backwards onto the bed, watching intently as Artemisia worked the dress down over my hips. Her lips pressed lightly against my hip bone just to tease, making goosebumps spread down my legs. In another second, she was on the bed with Desirae, crawling up between her thighs.

As Artemisia melted into Desirae once again, her back arched, ass towards me, with just her lace thong in between us. My fingers traced and rubbed against the black lace rosettes, knowing how turned on the sensation made her. She may have stubbornly removed the corset to defy me, but she had left this on intentionally. My ears buzzed with her soft heavy breaths in sync with Desirae's growing moans. I worked her clit through the lace, teasing her until she was soaked. Her back arched deeper, wanting more. Sliding her panties to the side, I slipped inside her.

Artemisia's moan sent a charge through all of us. She rocked hard against me so I deepened my thrust and slid another finger inside of her. Erotic Sicilian murmurs spilled from her lips into Desirae. I curled inside of her to stroke her g-spot. As she tightened around me, I felt it through my entire body.

Desirae's knowing eyes sharpened on me. She lifted Artemisia's head up and pulled her into a kiss, breaking our rhythm to switch it up. My heart pounded with desire as Desirae sat up to face me. She slipped my fingers into her mouth, tongue rolling between them to taste Artemisia. My body swelled with lust watching and feeling her. I had to kiss her, to taste them both.

Artemisia's ankles began to entwine with mine, her thigh pushed between my legs to rub my clit. I watched her watch me kiss Desirae, making sure she could feel it. Her fingertips sunk into my hips to practically pull me onto her lap. This was the Artemisia I expected. But instead of stealing the kiss from either of us, she laid back down and pulled Desirae onto her face.

Desirae hummed with pleasure as she began to rock backwards against Artemisia's tongue. Eagerly, I slid into Artemisia's legs just like we used to do. My hips rolled with hers until our clits touched, wet and warm. All three of us fell into a sensual rhythm. I had never been so turned on in my life.

Desirae's locs had fallen from their bun, cascading beautifully over her shoulder. We both watched each other, both riding Artemisia to climax. I could hear in Artemisia's voice that she was close as well. I quickened my thrusts against her, drawing out short gasps from both of us. Desirae's moans grew sharper, louder. She leaned forward and gripped the back of my neck, kissing, but not-kissing me, just breathing in my air. Her body quivered as she let out one final moan against my lips.

I slowed against Artemisia, allowing Desirae to literally ride out her orgasm against us. When she finally opened her dark glassy eyes, they were wild with desire.

She murmured something in Igbo I assumed, as she slowly released her grip on my hair then slid off of Artemisia to lie beside her.

"Keep going," Desirae urged, tracing her fingers over Artemisia's tan nipples. "I love watching her fuck you."

Artemisia smiled through their kiss. "Maybe we won't get into so much trouble with this one."

Desirae shot a quick glance up to me. "Oh, I doubt that."

They didn't have to say it, but something told me they were talking about Desirae's husband. I made a mental note to ask her later.

"Amuri," Artemisia begged with a purr, rocking her hips against me again. I tossed her foot over my shoulder, stretching her out further. As my name left her lips with gentle curses, my own lips roamed up her leg, kissing and biting and licking until I reached her slender ankle where she was most sensitive. The intensity of her cries for me brought me closer yet.

And she could tell.

She began to coax me with praise. I had managed to keep an intimacy-free distance between us, but that went to shit as I leaned forward hard to catch the words from her mouth with my tongue. But Desirae caught my cheek to steal my lips from her. Which only seemed to please Artemisia more. Her blue eyes glinted with satisfied desire.

I pulled up and away, to put space back between us, thrusting harder with my hips. Our clits throbbed together, just waiting for the other to come first. Both our stubbornness gave way when Desirae's hand began to snake down between our bodies. Our moans rivaled one another, picking up as she fucked us both at the same time.

I had just enough reach to find Desirae still slick and thick with desire, right at my fingertips. She was beyond ready to come again.

My body shook, setting off a tremor in Artemisia as well. Her leg hooked my back, pulling me down against both her and Desirae in a simultaneous orgasm. Pleasure filled me, igniting every electric sensation between us. Desirae remained inside of me, inside of us both I realized, as we all came down from our high together.

At some point, I must have closed my eyes for a second too long. I peeked them open to find Desirae sleeping soundly next to me with Artemisia's arm around her and all our bare legs tangled together beneath the sheets.

I reached over to cup Artemisia's arm to snuggle them both, but my fingers stuck together, still wet, as I touched her. Just as she stirred, the cold damp sheet clung to my chest.

My head sprung up from the pillow.

Even with only the light of the moon, I could see red on my hands.